The first State of Play of 2024 just finished broadcasting, and Sony decided to share 40 minutes of news and updates for 15 upcoming games we can expect to see on the PS5. We got a great in depth look at; Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (that IS what it’s called,) as well as a look at some extended gameplay from Team Ninja’s newest game, Stellar Blade, as well as a gameplay reveal for Silent Hill 2 Remake. Fans of both old IPs and new IPs have lots to enjoy in this month’s State of Play!
Helldivers 2
Opening the show is our final look at next week’s newest major release, Helldivers 2. Switching to a third person action shooter from a RTS is a major shift. However the gameplay looks promising and fun! The new trailer showcased some ship customization as well as some old fashioned shooting robots and aliens in the face. We also got to see a walking mech that players will be able to pilot. You can get Helldivers 2 on PS5 & PC starting February 8th!
Stellar Blade
Next in line is a heavily detailed look at Stellar Blade, the brand new IP from the developers over at Shift Up. We are introduced to Eve, the main protagonist, as well as some members of her crew, all while they are navigating a futuristic post-apocalyptic world. We see a bustling city below the wasteland up above. This city is a place where you can get new equipment, heal, and – I assume – do many other things. We get a look at some combat with massive, monsters and even bigger boss fights. We also see Eve decked out in many outfits throughout the trailer, leading me to believe there will be a great deal of customization. Personally, I’m getting a ton of Nier Automata vibes from this.
Stellar Blade is set to release April 26, 2024.
Sonic x Shadow Generations
Sonic x Shadow Generations is a remaster of 2010’s Sonic Generations. However, this time around, it features everyone’s favourite edgy hedgehog, Shadow. We see a lot of Shadow gameplay which very clearly takes inspiration from his 2006 game, Shadow The Hedgehog. We see him skating around and shooting guns. What more can you ask for? It’s really nice to see SEGA acknowledge that Shadow even exists!
Sonic x Shadow Generations is scheduled for release this fall!
Zenless Zone Zero
MiHoYo has been on a crazy good streak with Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail crushing it nonstop. They look to keep that streak going with their next game Zenless Zone Zero. We see some high-octane action, some crazy fashion, and a ton of mechanical destruction. Zenless Zone Zero is confirmed to be in development for the PS5.
FOAMSTARS
After an open beta and some additional time to take player’s input into consideration, Square Enix gives us one last look at FOAMSTARS before its release on February 6th, 2024. It’ll launch for free on Playstation Plus! We get a peak at some new gameplay as well as some new characters we haven’t seen. Square Enix has mixed the hero shooter formula of Overwatch with the gameplay loop of Splatoon. Something tells me a certain writer on BBP will really like this one!
Dave The Diver x Godzilla
I think everyone expected Dave The Diver to eventually be released on PS5. I do not think anybody expected to see Godzilla show up in the mix. But that is exactly what is happening! We can expect Dave The Diver and Godzilla to show up in May of this year.
V RISING
Next we are given a look at the new Stunlock Studios game, V RISING. If you’re in the mood for an isometric RPG that takes place in a medieval landscape and has a vampire protagonist – you’re in luck! V RISING will be available on the PS5 sometime this year.
Silent Hill: The Short Message
One of the biggest shocks of this presentation was that we get TWO Silent Hill games shown to us. The Short Message is a free first-person game where you play as Maya. We’re shown some ominous text messages with a friend, hallways full of sticky notes, and a spooky monster. You don’t have to wait at all to give this a try, as Silent Hill: The Short Message is available right now!
Ever since Silent Hill 2 Remake was announced we have been clamouring for more details. The folks over at Bloober Team heard our wishes and gave us a combat reveal. We get a look at some new creature designs as well as some spooky familiar areas. We didn’t get any sort of release date. All we know is that the remake of Silent Hill 2 is in development. Hopefully we get to reunite with James Sunderland sooner than later.
Judas
Every single time we get to see a look at Judas, I get so pumped. This is the newest game from the creator of Bioshock, Ken Levine, and it looks like exactly that. We are shown some hyper stylized characters and enemies, as well as some good ol’ weapon in one hand, magic in the other. Judas appears to be set in space and has a big focus on Judas branding. Shots of people wearing “I Shamed Judas” hats and tv shirts, as well as many other shirts and posters that read “EAT THE COOKIES.” Many characters also seem to have a redneck aesthetic. Is this game about bible thumping America in space? Who knows? Judas does not yet have a release date.
Metro Awakening VR
A new installment in the Metro franchise is shown. This is the first Metro VR experience, and if you’re into those, this looks like an interesting one. This is a prequel to Metro 2033. Once again we are trudging through the Russian underground and fighting many soldiers, as well as monsters. Metro Awakening VR will release sometime later this year.
Legendary Tales
A re-release of 2021’s Legendary Tales on PS5 VR is up next. The trailer shows our floating handed hero wielding magic, swords, axes, whatever he can his hands on. You fight a lot of skeletons and monsters in this VR dungeon crawler. Legendary Tales is out next week on February 8th, 2024.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Next is Dragon’s Dogma 2. I have personally been championing the first game ever since I played it back in 2012. I always thought it was very special, and I am so happy that I can finally experience the follow up. You can play as a warrior, wizard, rogue, or one of the many other classes as you roam the hyper-fantastical open world. Kill dragons, gryphons, minotaur, or whatever gets thrown at you when Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches March 22, 2024.
Rise of the Ronin
Team Ninja provides a really nice in depth look at their upcoming open world game Rise of the Ronin. The overall aesthetic is Western x Eastern. We see a lot of westernization in world as well as the weapons. We see the hero wielding a spear, sword, flamethrower and rifle. We get a good look at traversal using both a grappling hook and a paraglider. Rise of the Ronin shares a birthday with Dragon’s Dogma 2, as they both release on the same day, March 22nd, 2024.
Until Dawn
The penultimate announcement in the show is a remaster of the horror/slasher classic Until Dawn. A group of teenagers stay overnight in a freaky lodge and quickly realize that they are not alone. Every decision you make dictates how the story unfolds, who lives, and who dies. If you’re a fan of Hayden Panettiere, Remi Malek, Jordan Fisher, and scary dudes in masks, this is for you. Until Dawn releases on PC and PS5 later this year.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Finally, we are blessed with a much needed look at the sequel of Hideo Kojima’s UPS delivery-person nightmare, Death Stranding. Hideo Kojima is back with his pals Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Troy Baker. Hideo also brought in some new faces, including Elle Fanning, Shioli Kutsuna, as well as the Mad Max creator himself, George Miller. We get reacquainted with Sam and Fragile – played by Reedus and Seydoux – who are completely grey head to toe. Why are they completely grey? We are never given an answer. We are also introduced to a sentient ventriloquist dummy who talks. I can’t pinpoint the voice actor for said dummy, but it sounds familiar to me. This doll will hang from your waist and provide commentary much like Mimir in God of War. We get a new look at Higgs (Troy Baker) with what looks to be makeup inspired by The Joker. He’s also got an electric guitar… literally… it shoots lightning. We see Sam driving suped-up vehicles through the snow and deserts. After Sam reunited America in Death Stranding, the sequel asks the question, “should we have connected?”
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach releases in 2025.
Hideo Kojima Announces New Espionage Action Game “Physint.”
Hideo Kojima closes the show by announcing that he has a brand new IP exclusive for the PS5 on the way after Death Stranding 2: On The Beach releases. All he is willing to give us is that it is a return to the “espionage action” genre. Kojima explains that it is a both a video game and a movie. When the camera pulled away we saw the Columbia Pictures building with a sign that reads “PHYSINT.” This is not to be confused with OD, the Hideo Kojima/Jordan Peele horror game exclusive to Xbox. I don’t know what Physint is, or what it’s going to look like, but it’s got Hideo’s name on it… I’m in.
State of Play will come back on February 6th at 3:30PM EST for an extended look at Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.